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I don´t think that anyone could ever go thirsty here in Argentina. We´re always drinking something )maté, juice, tea, coffee, soda, beer, wine, etc. I´ve never felt so hydrated in all my life :p jaja. We drink something for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the middle day "snack", and any other time of the day if we´re visiting people ... :)

I just began my classes in the language school...three hours a day, Monday thru Friday. There is one other student with me in the class, so it makes for a great 3 hours...lots of opportunities to talk and ask questions. The other girl in the class is from Austria, she´s been studying spanish for about as long as I have been...5 or 6 months and is in Argentina visiting a friend and trying to increase her understanding...she´ll only be here for a few more weeks, but I hope that we can become good friends!

I´m getting the hang of the bus ... at least the one that i take from my house to the city (which is pretty much a straight shot). A friend of mine commented that she thinks that if you can really get the hang of riding the bus standing up that you should be good at surfing. I think she´s about right...i hate standing in the bus cuz it jerks around so much, and you have to work hard to be study on your feet, but sometimes you just have to. There are days too that everyone is squeezed really tight in the bus and its difficult to move from one place to the other...especially when your stop comes and you have to get out the back door...kinda tricky (but nothing like I experienced in the train in Buenos Aires). Here buses are called "collectivos" and the coins we use to get in the bus are called "cospelas" (they cost 2 pesos each so about 50 cents approx.). I don´t know if other areas use cospelas (cuz I know they don´t in Buenos Aires), but its kinda nice not to have to worry about the right amount of change.

I´ve been reading up on some of Argentine´s history...especially during the ´70s where the life here was really volatile and scary. People who disagreed with the government often disappeared and many significant people were assassinated. It all became quite awful between 1973 and 1983 in what is now called the "Dirty War" (if you want to know more, you can look it up for more details). During this time between 10,000 and 30,000 people disappeared and/or were murdered for being on the wrong side (I believe it was the "right" side). Today things are much better, but this time left a huge wound on the country, a wound that is still trying to heal. It really opened my eyes to why most people here do not trust their government and have a fear for their security.

I´m still enjoying my time here, though I´m finding I´m really tired a lot! I´m having to push myself in the language and in adventuring out more, so it makes for really exhausting days. But the Lord has richly blessed me with opportunities to speak English with native speakers and to just share how I´m doing...so I don´t feel completely overwhelmed or alone. Every day has its challenges and its rewards, and nothing around here comes easily, and usually you have to wait and be patient, but overall God is showing me how to trust in His daily plans and His desire for me in this place.